Print-drying apparatus



Feb. 24, 1931.

G. M. DYE

PRINT DRYING APPARATUS Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED sTA'rss Paras-r rrrcs GLEN M. DYE, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA PRINT-DRYING APPARATUS Application filed January 18, 1926. Serial No. 82,069.

mon practice to dry the prints by progressing the same in engagement with arevoluble roll or drum, the surface of which was heated. In order to dry the prints in a reasonable time, it has been necessary to use a fairly high temperature for the roll or drum or other print drying means. WVhen prints are dried at such a temperature, the fine tone or gradation in the emulsion is greatly deteriorated or destroyed. The effect which the paper manufacturer has worked hard to secure and which the developer has striven to attain is thus lost.

Also, in such machines as above mentioned, a canvas belt has often been used to hold'the print against the roll or drum and in order.

to have this belt positioned properly on the roll and stay in proper position, it has been necessary to use a comparatively heavy and largely non-absorbent material for the belt.

Another objection to the print drying machines of the prior art is that the cockling or the puckering of the edges of the print. This effect has always been troublesome heretofore on print drying machines.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an apparatus and method for drying prints in which a comparatively low temperature is used and by means of which the prints can still be dried in a short time.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a print dry-mg apparatus and method in which a comparatively light and highly absorbent cloth is used for engaging the print whereby the moisture is quickly absorbed therefrom.

It another object of the invention to provide a print drying apparatus and method in which the prints are progressed in engageient with said highly absorbent fabric cloth or sheet and in which a blast of air is blown in contact with said cloth, to carry off the moisture therefrom.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a print drying apparatus and method in which the prints are progressed on the surface of a heated member being held against said surface by a sheet or apron of highly absorbent material, a blast of air being simultaneously directed against said apron.

It is still further an object of the invention to provice a print drying machine comprising a revoluble heated drum against which the prints are progressed and against which they are held by a sheet of absorbent material -moving with the drum, said drum having acasing extending the'r eabout, together with means for directing a current of air into said casing, about said drum.

It is stillanother object of the invention to provide a machine comprising a'revoluble drum supported on a plurality of circumferentially spaced rollers, one of which is driven to rotate said drum and it is also an object of the invention to have a plurality of rollers spaced about and adjacent said drum, over which a travelling belt or apron moves, said rollers being constructed and arranged to be readily removed.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth'in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, and in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the difi'erent views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the machine;

Fig.2 is a view in side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section taken on line 3+3 of Fig. 2;

4 is a section taken on line l4e of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig, 2 as indicated by the arrows, sections 3 to 5 inclusive being takenon an enlarged scale.

Fig. 6 is a partial view in side elevat on shown on an enlarged scale, with a portion broken away.

Referring to the drawings, a machine is shown comprising a frame having the corner posts 6 arranged substantially at the corners of a rectangle. While said posts may be of various forms, they are conveniently made of angle bars as illustrated. The shorter posts 6 which will be referred to as the front posts, have the horizontal bars 7 extending from their tops to the rear or longer posts 6. A flat bar 6a connects the tops of rear posts 6. Secured at each side of'bars 7 and connecting the same with the posts 6, are the plates 8 having upwardly projecting arms 8a having laterally projecting pins 9 for a purpose to be later described. Brackets 10 are also bolted to the member 7 at each side of the machine having hubs or bosses at their upper ends suitably bored and slotted to receive the spindles or journals 11a of the roller 12 extending between said brackets 10 at each side of the machine. Also secured to the member 7 rearward of brackets 10 is a worm and worm wheel casing 13 having bearings at each side for a shaft 14 to which the worm wheel gear 15 is secured, said shaft,14 being slotted at its inner end to receive-a fiat tongue formed on the end of the shaft 16 carrying roller 17. The shaft 16 for roller 17 is supported at the other side of the machine by a bearing (not shown) but similar to a bearing 18, secured to each member 7 and to be lat-er described. The rollers 12 and 17 form the supports for a drum 19 of cylindrical shape, the peripheral surface of said drum being formed by the plate 19a which is secured at its ends to the circular plates 19?) having the outturned flanges 19c therein engaging the plate 19a. The plate 19?) at one side of the drum, namely the side shown at the left of Fig. 4, closes that side of the drum and is imperforate. The plate 19?), however, at the end of the drum shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1 and shown in Fig. 2, has a central opening 19d therein, giving access to the interior of said drum. The opening 19d is normally closed by a plate 20 substantially engaging the plate 19?) and carried on a bracket 21, illustrated as a strio or bar secured to plate 20 and secured at its lower end to one of the members 7 The edges of the plates 190. and the flange 190 are flush with each other and form the edge of the drum, which edge is engaged by a roller 10?) carried on an inclined headed and nutted bolt 100 secured in an extension of bracket 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. It will be understood that there is one of the rollers 10?) at each side of the drum and the drum is thus accurately positioned laterally or endwise.

The worm wheel 15 is driven-by a worm gear 22 secured to a shaft 23 journaled in the casing 13 and in a bearing 24 secured to one ofthe rear posts 6, said shaft projecting beyond said posts and having secured thereto the belt wheel or pulley 25 illustrated as of the groove type. The wheel 25 is driven by the belt 26 running over a pulley 27 on the motor shaft 28 of a motor 29 shown as mounted on a plate 30 carried on suitable bars 31 connecting the front and rear posts 6. It may be here stated that the space within the posts 6 and below the bar 7 preferably is enclosed by front and rear plates 32 and side plates 33 secured to the post 6. drum 19 is adapt-ed to be heated and for this purpose a gas burner illustrated as a perforated pipe 34 extends into the drum from the plate 20 being provided at its outer end with an air regulator 35. A conduit 36 supplies gas to the burner 34 and has inserted therein a thermostatically controlled valve 37 adapted to control the supply of gas according to the temperature in the drum 19. The conduit-36 is adapted to be connected to any suitable source of gas supply. The plate 20 has a comparatively small opening 20a therein, adjacent the burner 34 normally closed by a swinging circular plate 206 pivoted at one side to said plate 20; One of the bearings 18 is bolted to each member 7 adjacent the front end thereof, said bearings having hubs or bosses at their'upper ends bored and slotted to receive the ends of the shafts or journals 38 carrying the roller 39. Another roller 40 is disposed above the roller 39 and adjacent drum 19 having its support ing shaft or journals 41 supported in slots formed in a projecting bracket 42, said bracket 42 being bolted to a bar 43, it being understood that there is a bracket 42 and a bar 43 at each side of the machine, said bars 43 having open ended slots in their-lower ends adapted to engage respectively over pins 44 projecting outwardly from the bar 7. The bars 43 are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the forward ends of the plates or brackets 45, which are secured in turn to a pair of bars 46, respectively pivoted at their rear ends to the posts 6 adjacent the upper ends of the latter. The brackets 45 have a plate 47 extending therebetween, above the roller 19 and the bars 46 have a plate 48 extending therebctwcen above the roller 19 and substantially engaging the plate 47. A plate 49 also is secured and extends between the posts 6 above the bar 7 so that the plates 47, 48 and 49 substantially constitute a casing extending about the drum 19. The brackets 45 have hubs 45a adjacent their front ends, bored and slotted to receive the shaft 50, carrying roller 51 and said plates also have journaled therein, adjacent their upper ends, the shaft 52 of roller The roller 53 is quite small and the shaft 52 thereof rests in a slot at the bottom of the oblong hole 45?) in the casting or bracket 45, said hole being somewhat greater in diameter than roller 53, so that roller 53 may be raised and withdrawn through said hole. A roller 54 is carried on a shaft 55 journaled at its ends respectively in brackets or castings 56 secured to the upper portions of the posts 6. Said brackets 56 are bored and slotted to receive the ends of the shaft 55, said slots extending rearwardly and upwardlyf An- The a other roller 57 is carried on the shaft 58 journaled at its ends in the brackets 60 secured respectively to posts 6a short distance below the bar 7. The brackets 60 are bored and slotted to receive the ends of the shaft 58, the slots therein extending rearwardly.

An endless belt or apron 61 extends over the roller 39, thence in a. substantially horizontal direction over the roller 12 from which roller it passes into contact with the drum l9 and passes therearound to the roller 40. Said belt then doubles back around the roller 40 and passes upward over rollers 51 and 53, downwardly and rearwardly over roller-54, thence substantially vertically inside of plate 49 down and around the roller 57 from which roller it extends forwardly in a substantially horizontal direction, passing around a roller 62 carried on swinging arms 63 pivoted at 64 to said plates 33 and thence upward again over the roller 39. Arms 68 have slots for the insertion and removal of the shaft 62a of roller 62. The belt 61 is made of fabric material which is quite absorbent and said belt preferably is of material comparatively light in weight. While various highly absorbent fabric materials may be used, in practice a white material called diaper cloth has been found to be very suitable, as has also birds-eye toweling.

Attention is called to the fact that the rollers 12, 17 have enlarged portions adjacent their ends forming a shoulder so that the central and greater portion of the roller is of reduced diameter. The belt 61 travels on the portion of the reduced diameter, with its edges engaging said shoulder. It will also be noted that the belt passes between roller 12 and the drum surface 19a, as shown in Fig. 5 with the drum resting on the large portion 12a at the end of roller 12. The drum likewise rests upon the enlarged portions 17 a at the ends of the roller 17.

The plate 47 carried on the brackets .45 has upwardly projecting lugs 47a at each side thereof, in which is disposed a roll curtain of ordinary automatic, spring actuated type. This curtain is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, as 65, and is shown pulled out or extended with its free end hanging down over the front of the apron 61 and roller 39. and the ends of member 7. Said curtain thus forms in effect the front side of the casing surrounding drum 19, the rear side of which is formed by plates 47, 48 and 49. A bracket 66 is secured to each of the bars 43 and these brackets form a support for a print receiving tray 67 disposed below roller '40 and in front of the drum. Brackets 45 also have pivo-tally secured thereto short'right angle hook forming plates 68 pivotally mounted on bolts 69 secured in bosses at the sides of brackets 45 and adapted to be held in a plurality of positions by the wing nuts 70.

Air is supplied to the machine and for this purpose a fan 71 is provided, mounted on,

the plate 30 and illustrated as driven directly from a suitable motor 72. A conduit 73. leads from the discharge side of the fan and has one branch 73a extending upwardly and forwardly at one side of the machine with its upper end directed laterally beneath drum 19 adjacent its forward side. As shown in Fig. 2, the outlet openingof branch 7 3a has its. sides substantially parallel to the periphery of drum 19. The other branch 73?) of the conduit extends upwardly and somewhat rearwardly at one side of the machine and extends over shaft 23 having an upwardly directed discharge mouth 7 30 as'shown in Fig. 1 disposed substantially midway o-f'the'" length of the drum 19 and at the rear side thereof. 7

In operation the motor 29 will be driven and shaft 23 will thus be driven through the belt 26. This will drive the worm gear 22 and the worm wheel gear 15, and roller 17 will be rotated. 17 will revolve the drum 19 due to the frie tion between said drum and said roller. The

drum 19 revolves and carries therewith the The motor 72 and .fan 71 will simultaneously be driven and a blast or current of air will thus be directed upwardly at the rear of the drum 19 between the same and the plates 49, 48 and 47 and also between the plies or runs of the belt or apron 61. This, air will travel about the drum 19 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 and will be largely confined to the space about the, drum by-the casing enclosing the drum. The gas burner 34 will be ignited and the drum 19 will be properly heated by the gas flame, the temperature being automatically controlled by the valve 37.

The burner 84 can conveniently be lighted byswinging aside the plate 20?). and access thus being had to the burner. The machine thus being operated, the wet prints to be dried This rotation of the roller 1 are placed on the horizontal run of the apron 61 between rollers 39 and 12 as shown by the prints 75 in Fig. 2. The prints travel with the apron 61 and are thus pressed against the surface of the plate 19a of the drum 19 by the apron, the emulsion side of the prints preferably contacting the apron 61. The prints then move about the drum, being held thereagainst by the apron 61. As above stated the apron 61 is highly absorbent and quickly absorbs a large amount of the moisture in the print. The branch conduit 7 3a delivers a current of air laterally and upwardly across beneath the drum, adjacent the roller 12, so that the air is brought into contact with the apron 61 as soon as it has absorbed the drum 19 in contact with the apron 61 and the drum.

carries a great deal'of the'moisture in said apron, away. As the print passes the roller 17 the blast of air engages the apron 61 and the moisture in the apron is practically all carried off by't-he air blast. This result is greatly facilitated by the fact'that the air travels about the drum for substantially the entire distance that the apron 61 contacts therewith. As shown said apron 61 contacts the roller for the greater part of its periphery. The prints are also dried by the heat of the drum 19 and owing to the fact that the air is supplied to remove the moist ire from belt 61 and due to the fact that this belt is of light material and highly absorbent, a comparatively low temperature can be used for The prints thus thoroughly d ied by the time they have traveled around the roller so and as the belt or apron 61 doubles back around the roller 40, th prints are discharged from the-drum and apron into the tray 67. Thebelt or apron G1 shown, travels back from the roller inside of the casing surrounding the drum, and as before stated, t re air from the conduit branch 73b passes between the two plies or runs of the apron. The belt or apron is thus entirely and completely dried by this air. The moisture is removedfrom the print substantially uniformly throughoutthe on tire print area. In prior machines where comparatively high temperature was used with a thick heavy belt which was not high- 1y absorbent, moisture would be removed from the edges of the print much sooner than from the central portion of the print. This caused a puckerin or crinkling of the edges of the print which has been known as cool:- ling. With the present machine the moisture is so uniformly removed that the cockling effect is eliminated and the prints are in perfectly flat and uniform condition when discharged from the machine.

The curtain 65 is pulled down when the machine is not in use and protects apron 61 and other parts from dirt and dust. WVhen the machine is being used, curtain 65 is pulled up. The various rollers over which belt 61 runs can be quickly removed from one side of the machine when it is desired to remove or replace the belt 61. When this is done the arms 68 are swung down so as to engage under the flange of the drum 19 as shown in Fig. 5. The drum is then lifted by lifting the bar 43 from the pins 44 and supporting said-bars on the pins 9. The slots in the lower ends of the bars engage over said pins 9. This causes a slack in the belt, suflicient so that the shaft 38 of the roller 39 can be lifted from the brackets 18 out through the slots in said brackets. The roller 39 can thus be drawn lengthwis from the machine. The rollers 40 and 51 can be removed in the same manner, as can alsothe rollers 54 and 57. The roller 17 can be removed by lifting the are directed so that the tension of the belt tends to hold theshafts and rollers in position. The roller 53 which is quite small in diameter, can be removed by lifting its shaft through the slot at the bottom of aperture 156 and then withdr wing the roller lengthwise through said aperture.- All of the rollers over which the belt 65 runs can thus be quickly removes from one ide of the machine. T'he roller 62 carried on the arms 63 is only usedas a belt tightener and this roller can be lifted and ren'ioved endwise due to the slots in arms 63. p X

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very eiiicient apparatus and method for drying prints. The prints are rapidly and effectively dried and the fine tone and gradation of the tone in the prints is 'maintzined and the prints are delivered in smooth and uniform condition. The apparatus and method have been amply demonstrated in. actual practice and found to be very successful and eiiicient. It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of parts of the apparatus and in the steps and sequence of steps of the method, without departing from the scope of applicants' invention, which, generally stated, consists in the novel parts and combination of parts as well as the novel steps and combinations of steps disclosed and defined in the'appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A print drying apparatushaving in combination, a revoluble drum, an endless apron of absorbent fabric material adapted to move in contact with said drum for a portion of the periphery 'ofthe latter and to hold the print against said drum, a casing extending about said drum and-apron and over the part of said apron engaging said drum and means for directing a. current'of air through said casing and into contact with said apron, said current of air being directed transversely of the apron contiguous to the point of entrance of the print;

2. A print drying apparatus having in combination a movable member having an outer surface, means for heating said member and surface, a sheet of absorbent material adapted to engage said member and hold a print against said surface thereof, a casing extending about said member and means for directing a current of air into said casing into contact With said sheet and along the surface of sald sheet and member.

' 3. A print drying apparatus having in combination, arevolva-ble drum having a peripheral surface, an 'apron moving about said drum, a plurality of circumferentially spaced comparatively small rollers at the lower portion of said drum over which said apron moves and on which said drum is supported, said drum directly engaging said rollers, means for driving one of said rollers to rotate said drum, and rollers engaging the ends of said drum for positioning the same and rotating about axes substantially perpendicular to the axis of said drum.

4. A print drying apparatus having in combination a revoluble drum having a peripheral surface, a plurality of circumferentially spaced rollers at the lower portion of said drum, said rollers having enlarged portions adjacent their ends on which said drum is supported, an endless belt extending about a portion of said drum and over said rollers and between the enlarged port-ions on said rollers, and means for driving one of said rollers to rotate said drum and move said belt therewith.

5. A print drying apparatus having in combination a revoluble drum having a peripheral surface, an endless apron adapted to travel about said drum in contact therewith for a large portion of its periphery, said belt having a horizontal run approaching the lower portion of said drum and then passing over a roller substantially in engagement with said drum whereby a print placed on said horizontal run will be fed between said drum and apron, means for directing a blast of air beneath and in contact with said apron adjacent the point where it engaged said drum, a casing extending about said drum substantially throughout the portion contacted by said apron and means for directing a blast of air into contact with said apron and drum so as to travel circumferentially about the said drum and apron within said casing.

6. A print drying apparatus having in combination, a revoluble drum, an endless apron of absorbent fabric material adapted to move in contact with said drum for a por tion of the periphery of the latter and to hold the print against said drum, a casing extending about said drum and apron, means for directing a current of air through said casing and into contact with said apron while in contact with said drum, a driving means for revolving said drum and a separately driven means for producing said current of air.

7. A print drying apparatus having in combination, a revoluble drum having a pcripheral surface, a plurality of circumferentially spaced rollers at the lower portion of said drum, said rollers having central portions of one diameter and end portions of larger diameter, an endless belt extending about a portion of said drum and'over said central portions of said rollers, between said enlarged portions, said enlarged portions engaging and supporting said drum at the sides I fabric material engaging the Wet print over its entire surface and holding the same against said supporting means and means for directing a current of air into contact with said sheet while engaging said print to carry ofi the moisture absorbed by said sheet,

said current of air being directed transverse ly of the apron contiguous to the point of entrance of the print.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GLEN.M. DYE. 

